This Game five post-game summary won’t include any season summary, just tonight’s game.
With everything on the line the Calgary Flames flew into Anaheim for Game 5 of the best of seven series. The subtext for every away game in Anaheim is how long it’s been since the Flames have won, they haven’t won for as long as Johnny Goudreau has been alive (at least that’s what it seems.) Calgary looked to defy history by sticking to their game plan and hoping for some timely bounces. They did get some of the that for the first 30 minutes, but this 60 minute game had a little bit of everything, including some of the greatest acting in NHL postseason history.
The Flames would get on the board first and actually take the lead in the first period. Jiri Hudler scoring his first point of this series. He’s clearly injured, along with Sean Monahan, I’m as defined the net exposing Andersen’s low blocker side weakness.
Calgary seemed to hold some momentum during the first. But unfortunately for fans on TV (not the fans in Anahiem, that is literally the quietest rink in the league) the referees started to get involved. Before the game there must have been a clear directive from the NHL head office, perhaps in Gary Bettman himself, shutting down playoff style hockey in favour for penalty parades only seen in preseason. The effect of the game was lasting, and I gave Anaheim the Ashley needed to regain momentum and finer game. Anytime the referees get involved to the point you notice them they are doing a poor job. In case you need a reminder, Brad Watson was head ref, and he was the goon called out last week in Montreal. Rather than sit him, the NHL sent him out West. What a joke.
Nonetheless, it’s a shame that in this series the Flames couldn’t keep their 5v5 play going, instead they were called for chintzy penalties that turned Game 5 of the Second Round into a farce. (I’m looking at you Joe Colborne. Nice progression, but wow, you spent more time in the box than on the ice in the last two games.)
Calgary started to lose their edge in the second period, mostly due to special teams play. The parade to the box gave Anaheim enough chances to eventually tie. Hard to think that the Flames could comeback given how little offence they were putting up, but lo and behold, as fans are used to by now, Gaudreau stepped off, and off of a lucky bounce, put the Flames right back on top.
Late in the second period saw what was perhaps the most dubious and horrid embellishment in all NHL postseason history. Corey Perry threw himself onto the ice as if he had been shot after taking a Matt Stajan hip to the leg. This coming from a guy who continually tries to injure other players on the ice. After he didn’t get a penalty call, he pretended to go to the dressing room, and came back in the third perfectly fine. Maybe he twisted his knee to give him the benefit of the doubt, but it looks absolutely terrible for the entire league and the organization that players like that try to scam the system.
A disgusting easy call at the very end of the second period gave the Ducks a powerplay to start the third where they scored the tying goal. The lightest of taps on Kesler’s hands was called not because it was a penalty, but because Kesler whimpered to the refs and they bought his scam. After what was the softest penalty in this series, the referees inexplicably put away their whistles and let the game play out. Compare the Backlund slash versus the ignored trips in the final minutes, and wow, the game was in the very least poorly officiated and that’s putting it midly.
Officiating no doubt changed the complexion of this game. Whether it caused the loss, we can never tell, but it affected gameplay for 60 minutes.
With Anaheim sensing victory over the wounded Flames, they picked up their 5V5 play and controlled the rest of game. Corsi stats nuts will now say how right they were all season long and how the stats played into the Flames loss. They’re right about the possession, it was very bad, but they were wrong since puck drop in October about these Calgary Flames.
For the second time in this postseason Calgary went to overtime. Anaheim jumped right out of the gate whereas Calgary spent no time in the offensive zone. The Ducks controlled play for a full two minutes with Ramo standing tall deflecting shot after shot. The onslaught was too much, Corey Perry, after recovering from a broken leg, interfered with Ramo, and poked home the frozen puck for the series winner.
Corey Perry is a champion in the eyes of all uninformed Californian hockey fan, the fairweather type who only go to games if they win tickets, and has effectively lost all respect from fans around league. Having ex-Canucks Ryan Kesler, another cry-baby, on your team, doesn’t help. Anaheim is probably the only place both could play without being ridiculed by the hockey market or fans.
As of the Flames, we’ll do a post season review tomorrow. I don’t think anybody in their right mind thought the Flames were going to take this series. But in our hearts we cheered them on until the last buzzer sounded. This team left everything on the ice, that much we can believe in cause we saw it happen. They ran into an elite team and the league’s worst official. All that in year two of a rebuild. Imagine where they will be next year? It’s exciting to be a Flames fan, and although big game went in favor of the opponents, with the help of some soft officiating, the team has nothing to be ashamed of.
Now for some work in prep for the off-season, the trip home from Sunny California, and preparations for next season. This game didn’t go the way it could’ve gone, they had chances, but also squandered opportunities. The exciting part of the NHL playoffs is that despite all of the shortcomings, you still have a chance, and we did up until now. Can’t say any true fan would be disappointed with the result tonight because it reflects the result of the entire season and that has been a success.
The Flames resilience in facing their opposition was the most
prominent along with their propensity to react with personality. Although inaccuracies had been apparent to
err is human; and blaming our own for their flaws is inherent; and little do we
perceive the pivotal role environmental factors play in predicting outcomes? Inferential statistics and coincidental facts
(in round 2) have raised skepticism making an eclectic perspective an integral
aspect for drawing conclusions (about the Anaheim/Flames series).
Observation#1. Game 3. The Flames propensity to challenge the opposition
against all odds and accomplish a victory had rattled the opposition beyond
comprehension. The rink had been chaotic- enthusiastic fans were celebrating, the OT winner was being interviewed and players were busy thanking their fans while Ryan Getzlaf was simultaneously engrossed
in discussions with the referee: a fact that had gone awry with the
electrifying closure. What discussions
were taking place on ice at the time?
Observation #2. An identical occurrence was
also apparent during Game 5 (Getzlaf was having friendly discussions with the
refs). Of note: Aren’t officials on ice supposed to remain
impartial?
Also of noteworthy are the events that took place after the game 3. Calgary Flames website substantiated the attribution of awards to the following members of the Calgary Flames.
a.Johnny Gaudreau for Calder
b.Jiri Hudler for Lady Byng
c.Bob Hartley for Jack Adams.
d.Brian Burke for Calgary pride parade
e. Mark Giordano for NHL foundation player award
The above mentioned are worthy of recognition, but why the sudden
recognition? Based on strength of correlation between events, schemas and the clustering of events it is easy to interpret that these acknowledgments were merely attempts of reconciliation, compensation,
bartering or assigning a consolation price. No matter how one looks at it, the prominent personality in discussion
is the Flames bench boss. Evidently, a diehard fan, sport critique or commentator
can generate a high volume book with words of gratitude for Bob Hartley’s contribution to his team; and he is entitled to have the world at his feet. Yet, the National Hockey League (NHL) decision to grant him the Jack Adams award creates cognitive dissonance. Observation #3. In quoting NHL’s verdict on April 17th,
the Flames coach had been labeled “irresponsible” and fined for the brawl between the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames in Game 1 of round 1. These allegations had been made against him in the absence of concrete evidence triggering ambiguity to their ways of thinking. Shouldn’t the Jack Adams award recipient be perfect in every way – contribute to his team’s success while being attentive as well? In this respect, Mr. Bruce Boudreau is more deserving having taken his team to the 3rd round of post season – a status they have never reached since their 2007 Stanley Cup accomplishment; and for making his players world class hockey players.
Observation #4. About the agitated opposition: They have attained the title of world class hockey players, a Stanley cup in 2007, and gold medals during the Olympics. Ryan Getzlaf has also been reckoned for the Mark Messier award. So, the team’s apprehensions following their defeat in Game 3 that necessitated going to Banff as a relaxation technique does not fall into place. The Calgary Flames should have been more distressed about their upcoming challenges after the consistent bombarding and relentless pessimistic messages from the media.
Observation #5.
The insinuating remark from Mr. Bruce Boudreau’s about Bob Hartley repeatedly stating to an extent that “Bob Hartley is very smart and there are three or four things up his sleeve although I don’t know what they are”. Isn’t it a psychological fact that we see in others what we see in ourselves? So how many tricks did Mr. Boudreau have up in his sleeves in the series?
Observation #6. Corey Perry’s embellishments in games 4 and 5.
Observation #7. Synchronicity. The Flames may not have performed at par in either game 4 or 5, but notice the coincidence – It was Joe Colborne who had scored the shorthanded marker to tie the game at 2 in game 3. Johnny Gaudreau had scored the equalizer and Mikael Backlund who had scored the OT winner. Was it just serendipity that all three should have been penalized in game 5? What had happened after game 3? The following equation puts things in perspective.
AA (Anaheim anxiety) + FA (Flames attributions) = SP subdued performance
Another disconcerting fact was the biased color commentary presented on air, the Fan 96. In game 2
of the series; Peter Loubardias had extensively conferred flourishing remarks about the opposition while labeling the Flames players as incompetent. Understandably, nobody had expected the Calgary Flames to be in the playoffs; yet that doesn’t give anybody (particularlya sports commentator for the Flames radio) the authority to demean the
team. That was totally unwarranted and uncalled for.
*Derek Wills is an exceptional commentator and it is fun listening to his play by play.
The seeds of our future: Subsequently, what are we exemplifying to our youth of today and society of tomorrow? Are we preaching that championship games and world class hockey players is all about relentless pursuit without integrity, morality, humanity, or sportsmanship? It is a pity, because without these attributes, players are just bound to crawl on ice like stray dogs making their way to the bench.
You certainly did us proud, boys. Thank you flames
Interesting analysis, thanks.